GOV0602
Level 16 | 101 The Terrace | Wellington 6011
PO Box 2142 | Wellington 6140 | New Zealand
Ph +64 4 917 0060
8 July 2019
C Montague
[FYI request #10499 email]
To C Montague
This letter is in response to your Official Information Act (OIA) request to the Health Promotion
Agency/Te Hiringa Hauora (HPA) on 10 June 2019. Your request stated:
1. I noticed on your website alcohol.org.nz you have a quiz that asks people whether they are
male or female in order to assess whether their drinking habits are risky.
I was wondering
why your agency makes a distinction between male and female, in this case and in many
other health promotion campaigns. Could you please refer me to any evidence your agency
holds that suggests male people are in any way different to female people?
People taking the quiz are asked to self-select as male or female because a person’s biological
sex can influence the way their body reacts to alcohol. Evidence can be found on alcohol.org.nz in
the sections on
Men & women and
What happens when you drink alcohol?
2. How does your agency define 'male' and 'female'?
The Health Promotion Agency (HPA) does not define male or female. People self-select male or
female.
3. Is there any evidence of medical or biological differences between male people and female
people that your office is aware of?
See answer to question 1 above.
4. May I please see copies of any correspondence from 1 January 2018 which refer to 'sex
self-declaration', the Births Deaths and Marriages Act/Bill, and or 'self-identification' of
biological sex impacting the Health Promotion Agency's work?
5. In particular, may I please see any correspondence between District Health Boards and the
Health Promotion Agency that address any of these topics?
No such correspondence exists therefore the final two questions are declined Section 18(e) of the
OIA as the information does not exist.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Cath Edmondson
General Manager, Policy, Research and Advice